Generally, emulsifiers are widely used in cosmetics, foods and the like. Emulsifiers used in cosmetics include anionic surfactants and nonionic surfactants. However, these emulsifiers are disadvantageous in that anionic surfactants are irritable to the skin and in that nonionic surfactants fail to exhibit sufficient emulsifying power and are more or less irritable to the skin. Moreover, since these emulsifiers cannot impart water retention properties to creams and the like, a moisture retentive agent such as glycerol or the like is added thereto according to the existing state of the art. However, this causes problems because the emulsion stability and/or feeling of the cosmetic may be altered.
Emulsifiers used in foods include sugar esters, fatty acid monoglycerides and the like. These emulsifiers and disadvantageous in that, since their emulsifying power is not so strong, they must be used in large amounts to achieve a sufficient degree of emulsification. Accordingly, it is desired to provide an emulsifier that causes little irritation to the skin, exhibits strong emulsifying power and possesses moisture retention properties.